Cowgirl Pasta Salad

On our way back from Tobermory, Dave and I stopped at a corn farm to pick up some sweet cobs, fresh from the field. To use the last of it up, I had some fun inventing this pasta salad that combines a bunch of my favourite Tex-Mex flavours. It's hard to beat plain old roasted corn and asparagus, but the sweet-smoky charm of these veggies really shines when paired with a spicy, tangy guacamole dressing. Thrown together on a whim, I think this summery recipe is going to become part of my regular repertoire. Giddyup!

Cowgirl Pasta Salad
350g chunky pasta (I used "scoobi-doo")
1 cob of corn
1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 tbsp fresh chives, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp ancho chile powder (optional)
diced tomato for garnish
salt & pepper

Guacamole Dressing
1 ripe avocado
1 fresh jalapeno
juice from 1/2 lime
1/3 cup light mayo
1/4 cup light sour cream
1 clove garlic, diced
salt, to taste

1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Rinse under cold water and put into a large mixing bowl with red pepper and chives.
2. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a blender and pureeing until smooth. Add salt to taste, and set aside.
2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, ancho powder (if you have it), and salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat, until brown and roasty. Chop asparagus into 1-inch pieces and add to mixing bowl with pasta.
3. Roast your cob of corn whatever way you prefer (I usually rub it with a little butter, wrap in tinfoil, and roast over medium high heat until the kernels are lightly browned -- about 15 minutes) -- you can roast the corn and the asparagus at the same time. Use a knife to carefully chop the kernels off the cob, and add the roasted corn to the mixing bowl.
4. Add the dressing to the mixing bowl and toss your salad until well-combined. Season to taste. Serve garnished with diced tomato, a slice of lime, and fresh-ground pepper.

Serves 3